deuces wild Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 $190 USD!!!!!!!!!!!! That is the cost of a single biology book my daughter purchased today for her biology class at The Ohio State University. $190!!!!!!The university does not let the students know ahead of time what books are required for the courses they sign up for.....they find out the first day of class. This practice keeps the students from buying their books online. Teachers also often change textbooks every quarter/semester so the students always have to buy new instead of used. The more expensive the book, the more money the university makes.She could have purchased the book from a supplier in the UK and had it shipped to her here in Ohio, USA for less than it cost at the OSU bookstore. Figure that one out!http://www.campusbooks.com/overseas-textbooks.aspOverseas textbooks are such a deal!It's no secret...college textbooks are way cheaper overseas. Why? Because textbook publishers figure since Americans are rich consumers, they should pay more money for everything...including college textbooks! Just like prescription drugs are cheaper in Canada, English language college textbooks from countries such as England, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada are cheaper than their American counterparts. Even with international shipping charges, new UK college textbooks are much cheaper than anything you'll find in the USA, including used textbooks and discount textbooks.The overseas college textbooks are exact copies of the American editions, usually with the same ISBN number. The textbook publishers simply sell some books to their American distributors, and the rest to their overseas distributors who aren't allowed to ship the books back into the US. However, this doesn't mean you can't buy cheap textbooks from an online UK retail bookstore. Retail textbook prices in the UK are sometimes lower than wholesale USA prices, for the exact same textbook! Some campus bookstores in the USA are even now buying some of their college textbooks inventory online from UK bookstores, such as Amazon UK and others, to resell to American students. They typically sell the new UK textbooks as used textbooks to you, so you don't get suspicious of super-low new book prices. So if your campus bookstore is buying discount textbooks from Amazon UK and reselling to you at a profit, shouldn't you be buying directly from the UK bookstore? Yes, you should and Campus Books makes it easy for you to buy your college textbooks from overseas bookstores without the hassle. We automatically include new and used textbooks pricing from several top-notch UK bookstores in our price comparisons, including Amazon UK and others. If your textbook is available via a UK bookstore, look for the UK flag next to the UK bookstore.Sorry but I had to vent as this is the most expensive college book I have had to buy for her so far.....and she is only in her second year of college. :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 That is awful... what a terrible policy. The university should be ashamed of itself. What price education?? :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trackrat Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 That is £100.88, does this book read itself to you?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deuces wild Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 That is awful... what a terrible policy. The university should be ashamed of itself. What price education?? :angry:Unfortunately it is the same policy at many US universities.And the cost of textbooks is over and beyond the cost of the class, room and board, usually ending up to be close to $15,000~$20,000/year at most public US colleges and universities. It is even more expensive if one is not a resident of the State the state college is in or if one attends a private university.We have another getting ready to start college in 2006....2 in college at the same time. Looks like no more vacations for a while. :huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Can't you lobby your local MP... umm, Congress person to do something about this, the least you should expect is a list so that you have an idea of what is needed and how much you need to budget for.. and so that you can shop around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deuces wild Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Good idea. But I think everyone, like me, just accepts it and shells out the money for the books.I may look into your idea. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Don't accept it.... just think of all those votes! Not only the parent vote but the student vote too. If you can make a big enough stink about it then something will have to be done.It's ok I suppose if you can pull your belt in a little to be able to afford these books, but what about people who just can't pull their belts in any more. Their children won't be able to get the education that their parents have worked so hard for because the Universities are denying them the right to shop around.Sorry but this sort of thing really makes me cross. We pride ourselves on having the freedom of choice in the western world.... and in something as important as education then that freedom is doubly important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Besty Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Surely she could have got it as an e-book? Then downloaded it and printed it off page by page or get a cheap laptop or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deuces wild Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Radfordin Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 I made it though my education buying about 4 books at a guess spending about £200 in total. There were however people who would buy every book that was on the reading list and no doubt spent thousands more than me. Sadly their investment didn't pay off ;) whilst mine did.I have met dozens of American exchange students who have never once commented on the price of books here compared to at home. You may have to spend the money on books, but you don't have to spend it on everything else. Swings and round-abouts my friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel=UK= Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Here in Britain where the ones usally getting ripped off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deuces wild Posted January 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 I believe real estate/housing is expensive in the UK, but what other things? Don't you also get some sort of housing allowance as part of your salary?And heck, with all the paid vacation time you folks get in Europe you can get a second job during half of it to make up for the costly items. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel=UK= Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 DVD's,CD,s (CD's are getting cheaper) Cars, most electrical stuff can all be had cheaper in other parts of Europe and the states......"Rip-Off Britain"High street prices are a 'rip-off' - BRITISH consumers are paying more than Americans for virtually all high street goods, a Treasury inquiry has found. The research provides the first official support for the Sunday Times investigation into "rip-off Britain" and blames high mark-ups by retailers. An internal Treasury report, prepared for ministers, found that prices in Britain are on average: 56% higher for furniture and carpets54% higher for hotels and eating out31% higher for sporting goods 29% higher for cars and motorbikes 22% higher for electrical goodsmany overseas Companies secretly call the U.K. 'Treasure Island' & 'The Gold Coast' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 Don't you also get some sort of housing allowance as part of your salary?Errr........ no! :( I get six weeks holiday a year by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 Come and live in the UK you'll love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deuces wild Posted January 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 Don't you also get some sort of housing allowance as part of your salary?Errr........ no! :( I get six weeks holiday a year by the way.Workers in the US normally start out with 2 weeks of vacation after completing a year with the company, then work up to 3 weeks after anywhere from 5-10 years. A full month sometimes comes after 20 or so years.6 weeks is mainly unheard of in the US.I used to work for a large international insurance company and chatted quite frequently with colleagues in the UK and other European countries. They all claimed to receive a housing allowance on top of their salary, a salary which was a bit higher than what their peers earned in the States. Add to that the extra vacation time and they could afford the higher prices for commodities. :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankus Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 There is a location allowance for working in London in a number of companies ... First time buyers in London now is a joke ....two (small) bedroom flats round by me , kick off around £180k ....and I live in the east end guv..... I dont know how peeps now get on the first rung ...... ?As for books I got through with about 10...... check second hand shops near the uni ...also see if any hard up 3rd years are selling off for dosh .......I used the uni library mostly , just get your work in well before the deadlines to avoid last min rush............If your in the UK ...get the open university coursework books ....cheap concise and targeted to get you through the module ....exam lifesavers ......6 weeks here too.... but I have to work bank Holidays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scuzzman Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 I'm paying $35,000 for my 2-year degree at ITT-Technical institute. But - they buy our books... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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